Practice Policies and Procedures

Entering therapy is a courageous commitment towards self-improvement.

Safe Haven Psychotherapy Services utilizes evidenced based treatment. Unlike other forms of health care, behavioral health treatment requires your active participation. Outcomes studies have demonstrated your active participation improves outcomes.

An initial diagnosis is established after the first session. However, Safe Haven Psychotherapy Services views the first four sessions as a comprehensive assessment phase. The goal of this assessment period is to identify underlying issues more precisely. Typically, this assessment period concludes with increased clarity, mutually agreed upon treatment plans, and goals. If sessions are missed during this comprehensive assessment phase, I will evaluate if continued treatment should proceed.

APPOINTMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS

Safe Haven Psychotherapy Services, LLC provides high-quality care and ensures that appointment times are available for all clients. Regular attendance is a vital component of effective behavioral health treatment. Repeated cancellations or missed appointments disrupt care and can hinder progress. I deeply value your commitment to your well-being and appreciate your cooperation as I strive to maintain a fair and accessible schedule for all clients.

Please remember to cancel or reschedule 24 hours in advance. If you fail to provide 24-hour notice, a $100.00 cancellation fee will apply. This is necessary because a time commitment is made to you and is held exclusively for you. Sessions are typically scheduled for 53 minutes. If you arrive late, your session may be shortened. This fee is not billable to insurance and must be paid before scheduling your next appointment. If your insurance does not allow for billing clients directly for missed appointments, your continued care may be jeopardized.

A no-show occurs when a client does not attend a scheduled appointment and does not notify me in advance. If you fail to attend your scheduled appointment without notifying me, a no-show fee of $100.00 will be charged.  This fee is not billable to insurance and must be paid before scheduling your next appointment. If your insurance does not allow for billing clients directly for missed appointments, your continued care may be jeopardized.

I understand that emergencies, illness, or unavoidable circumstances can arise. If this happens, please contact my office as soon as possible. Fee waivers may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

To ensure fairness and maintain availability for all clients:

After three (3) no-shows or late cancellations within a six-week period, I may require:

Prepayment for future appointments to secure your scheduled time.

Reassessment of your care plan, which could include transitioning your care outside of Safe Haven Psychotherapy Services, LLC if scheduling conflicts persist.

If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please contact me using one of the following methods: phone, email, or online patient portal (log in to the portal to manage your appointments).

The standard meeting time for psychotherapy is 53 minutes, or up to 1 hour for an initial consultation. It is up to you, however, to determine the length of time of your sessions.

Returned Checks and Rejected Credit Card Charges: A $15.00 service charge will be applied to any returned checks or denied credit card payments. This fee covers reprocessing in addition to the original payment amount.

To update your Payment Information: Log in to the online patient portal or provide updated payment details by phone or in person at your next appointment.

Payment Plans: If you're experiencing financial difficulties, please reach out to discuss potential payment arrangements or assistance options.

Late Payment and Outstanding Balances: Payment for sessions is due at the time of service. If payment is not received within 7 days of the session, a late fee of $25 will apply. Accounts that remain unpaid for 30 days will result in suspension of services until the balance is cleared.

By keeping your payment information current, you help us maintain smooth and uninterrupted service.

TELEHEALTH GUIDELINES

Telehealth sessions offer great flexibility, but there are important guidelines to follow:

  1. Sessions must be conducted from a secure, private location free from distractions.

  2. No sessions will be conducted in a moving vehicle. If this occurs, the session will be rescheduled, and a late/no-show fee will be charged.

  3. Face-to-face sessions via telehealth are the preferred method for delivering teletherapy.

In case of an emergency during a telehealth session, please dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

TELEPHONE ACCESSIBILITY

If you need to contact me between sessions, please leave a message on my voicemail. I am often not immediately available; however, I will attempt to return your call within 24 business hours. You may also message me in the secure portal. Please note that face-to-face sessions (either in person or via telehealth) are highly preferable to phone sessions. However, in the event that you are out of town, sick or need additional support, phone sessions are available. If a true emergency situation arises, please call 911 or any local emergency room.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND TELECOMMUNICATION

Due to the importance of your confidentiality and the importance of minimizing dual relationships, I do not accept friend or contact requests from current or former clients on any social networking site (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc). I believe that adding clients as friends or contacts on these sites can compromise your confidentiality and our respective privacy. It may also blur the boundaries of our therapeutic relationship. If you have questions about this, please bring them up when we meet and we can talk more about it.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

I cannot ensure the confidentiality of any form of communication through electronic media, including text messages. If you prefer to communicate via email or text messaging for issues regarding scheduling or cancellations, I will do so. While I may try to return messages in a timely manner, I cannot guarantee immediate response and request that you do not use these methods of communication to discuss therapeutic content and/or request assistance for emergencies.

Use of Electronic Communication and Telehealth Services (Massachusetts)

Services provided by electronic means—including but not limited to video conferencing, telephone calls, email, and secure messaging—are considered telehealth under Massachusetts law. In accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 175, Section 47MM, telehealth is defined as the use of electronic communication to deliver health-related services and information between a provider and a client at different physical locations.

If you and your therapist choose to use telehealth for part or all of your treatment, you should understand the following:

  1. Voluntary Participation: You retain the right to withhold or withdraw your consent to participate in telehealth at any time. This will not affect your right to future care, nor will it result in the loss of any benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.

  2. Confidentiality and Privacy Protections: All existing confidentiality protections under HIPAA and Massachusetts state law apply equally to telehealth. Your personal health information (PHI) will be protected with the same level of care as in-person services, using HIPAA-compliant and encrypted platforms.

  3. Access to Records: You have the right to access your clinical records, including those created or transmitted during telehealth sessions. Copies of records may be provided to you upon request and for a reasonable administrative fee, consistent with Massachusetts regulations.

  4. Use and Disclosure of Information: Your identifiable information or images from telehealth sessions will not be disclosed or used for any purpose outside of your treatment—including research, training, or third-party review—without your explicit, written consent.

  5. Benefits and Limitations of Telehealth: Telehealth offers many potential benefits, including increased access to care, convenience, reduced travel time and costs, and greater flexibility in scheduling. It may improve continuity of care and allow for more timely interventions.

    However, there are also limitations and risks to be aware of:

    • Technical failures (e.g., dropped connections, audio/video issues)

    • Reduced non-verbal communication cues, which can affect therapeutic assessment

    • Potential security risks, even when using secure systems

    • Inability to respond to emergencies in-person

  6. Limits to Clinical Observation: Effective therapy often depends on a combination of verbal and non-verbal information. In a telehealth setting, your therapist may have limited ability to observe certain physical or environmental cues that could be relevant to your care. These include but are not limited to:

    • Physical appearance and grooming

    • Posture, gait, and motor coordination

    • Facial expressions and body language

    • Signs of physical distress, injury, or other medical concerns

    • Environmental context, such as living conditions

    The absence of this information may impact your therapist’s ability to make fully informed assessments or recommendations. You are encouraged to share as much context as possible during sessions and to notify your therapist of any relevant concerns that may not be readily visible in a virtual format.

Telehealth Consent

By agreeing to receive services via telehealth, you acknowledge that you have been informed of the above considerations and that you understand the potential risks and benefits. You are encouraged to ask questions or express any concerns before or during your telehealth care.

If at any point you would prefer to transition to in-person therapy (when available and appropriate), you may discuss this with your therapist at any time.

TECHNICAL ISSUES DURING TELEHEALTH

If you experience technical difficulties during a telehealth session (e.g., poor internet connection, sound/video issues), we will attempt to reconnect and I will reach out to you via phone to offer alternative methods. If the issue cannot be resolved in a reasonable amount of time, we will reschedule the session.

SESSION RECORDING

Recording of therapy sessions is strictly prohibited. Clients are not allowed to record any part of the session, either audio or video, without prior written and signed consent from the clinician. Unauthorized recording may result in termination of the therapeutic relationship. If you have any concerns or reasons for wanting a recording, please discuss them with me prior to the session.

MINORS

If you are a minor, your parents may be legally entitled to some information about your therapy. I will discuss with you and your parents what information is appropriate for them to receive and which issues are more appropriately kept confidential.

TERMINATION

Ending relationships can be difficult. Therefore, it is important to have a termination process in order to achieve some closure. The appropriate length of the termination depends on the length and intensity of the treatment. I may terminate treatment after appropriate discussion with you and a termination process if I determine that the psychotherapy is not being effectively used or if you are in default on payment. I will not terminate the therapeutic relationship without first discussing and exploring the reasons and purpose of terminating. If therapy is terminated for any reason or you request another therapist, I will provide you with a list of qualified psychotherapists to treat you. You may also choose someone on your own or from another referral source.

Should you fail to schedule an appointment for three consecutive weeks, unless other arrangements have been made in advance, for legal and ethical reasons, I must consider the professional relationship discontinued.

CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Your participation and engagement in therapy are key to the success of our work together. Please come to each session ready to participate and actively engage in the therapeutic process. Therapy requires your commitment to the work we do together, including being open, honest, and present for each session.

EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

If you experience a mental health emergency outside of our scheduled sessions, please contact a crisis hotline, go to your nearest emergency room, or call 911. Therapy sessions are not a substitute for immediate crisis intervention or emergency mental health care.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS

I am committed to maintaining a safe environment for both clients and staff. If you are feeling ill or have been in contact with someone who is ill and potentially contagious, please reschedule your session or consider transitioning to telehealth. This ensures I am able to prevent transmission of illness between clients and staff to the degree I am able to.

INSURANCE AND PAYMENT

I accept certain insurance plans for therapy services. If you plan to use insurance, please provide your insurance details before your first session so I can verify coverage. You are responsible for understanding the terms of your insurance benefits, including copays, deductibles, and out-of-network fees. If there are any issues with insurance reimbursement, you will be billed directly.